LetYourSpiritGrow.com Blog

The connection between health and happiness is explored in this contributed post.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, so it’s easy to see why so many people wonder whether there is a link between our health and our happiness. Research has shown that, believe it or not, health and happiness are linked, and that how happy you are can impact how healthy you are, and vice versa. There is currently a lot of ongoing research into the factors that contribute to how healthy and happy we are. What studies have shown so far is that being a positive and happy person can give our health a boost, improving the quality of our lives. It’s also been proven that positive experiences and emotions make it easier for us to get rid of negative feelings, boosting our happiness, which in turn helps to improve our health and wellbeing, particularly our mental health. Psychologists have suggested that people with a happy mindset have a buffer against certain psychological health problems, such as addiction and depression. So, it’s clear that there is a link between health and happiness, but the question is, how does it work and what does it offer us?

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Happiness and longevity

Studies have shown that people with a cheery disposition are twice as likely to live longer than people who tend to have a negative and depressed mindset. A study that focused on nuns found that the nuns that lived to the oldest ages were the ones that were naturally cheerful and always smiling. Whereas, the nuns that weren’t as happy, didn’t tend to live as long. This links to the fact that a happy mindset is linked to a strong and healthy immune system, hence why the cheerful nuns may have lived longer than the uncheerful ones.

Happiness and psychological wellbeing

Researchers have found that people with an optimistic mindset tend to lead longer and more content lives. For years, there has been a known link between happiness and mental health, with studies showing that the people most prone to mental health problems are the people that aren’t as happy. Take drug and alcohol addiction, for instance, research has shown that the people undergoing treatment, such as Ultra Rapid Detox treatment, are the people who tend to have less positive mindsets. When it comes to mental health problems, such as addiction, depression, or anxiety, a lot of sufferers report being unhappy with their lives. This suggests that often a lack of happiness and positivity can contribute to the onset of mental health problems. Happiness and physical health Studies have shown that when it comes to physical health and happiness, there is a close link between them. A study showed that people who tend to lead happier lives have lower heart rates and lower blood pressure levels. Another study indicated that people who get sick more, tend to be people who aren’t as happy, as somehow a lack of happiness impacts the immune system. That’s not all, there are various other examples of how being happy can improve your health and wellbeing. There are various studies that show how happiness and health link to give and impact each other, which is why we know that there is a link between the two. We may not know exactly how the link works, but one day soon we will do.

Four steps to help you overcome life challenges are outlined in this contributed post.

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Whether you’re suffering from illness or injury, you’ve lost your job, or lost a close friend or relative, bouncing back to normal after a difficult time can seem almost impossible. With so much to get in order, from legal issues and financial responsibilities, to your own mental health, it can seem like an insurmountable challenge. But it honestly isn’t. The key is to take it one day at a time and be realistic, but get organized, and be a little bit stubborn with yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but you’ve totally got this.

Set yourself goals

So, you probably know what you want to achieve, whether it’s getting back to work after an illness, or finding a new job, or just getting back out socializing. It might seem like a ridiculously unattainable goal, when you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders, but when you break it down into smaller targets, you’ve got yourself a realistic and not so overwhelming stepladder to follow. So set yourself a date target, and be sure that you’re realistic, there’s no point falling at the first hurdle after all. Then set yourself little targets along the way, and make sure you decide what your celebrations will entail when you hit those targets. Remember, if all else fails, bribing yourself is a surefire route to success.

Get your official business in order

When you’re struggling with ill health or mental health problems, or mourning the loss of a loved one, financial and legal issues can seem particularly overwhelming. The thing is, once you’ve got them out of the way, you’re carrying a far lighter load. Get some info about an accident attorney if you’re planning on claiming compensation or a probate solicitor to help with wills - they’ll be able to carry out the majority of the work so that you don’t have to. Create yourself a budget and put a financial plan in place, because once all that’s done, you can focus on you.

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Make time to laugh and ground yourself

When the world feels like the worst place ever, it’s essential that you still make time to laugh. Get out and see friends, if you can. If you’re not able to, throw a small house party - pizza and Netflix are all it takes - and have a good giggle. Laughing is great for your mental health, and it’ll fill you with positivity. Fill time with meditation and yoga to strengthen your soul. Remind yourself that you’re not alone, that your friends love you, and that every day that passes you’re getting one step closer to your goal.

Stay organized

When things start to get out of hand, they can really spiral. The problem is, when you’re recovering, exhaustion and overwhelmedness can get in the way of the best-laid plans. Staying organized is the key to success here. Know your deadlines, know what needs doing around your house, and keep it all written in list forms and diaries. That way, you won’t have it all playing on your mind, taking up valuable time and energy, but the spiral of problems never gets a chance to get going either.

Getting back on your feet can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. Don’t expect too much from yourself, and don’t beat yourself up when you’re not improving quite as fast as you like. It’s a slow process, so make sure you look after yourself.

Discover the 5 tips in this contributed post that could help you right now.

We live in a strange universe. We’re only given one life, and yet we’re supposed to decide exactly what to do with it among literally millions of possible options. Some people are able to home in on one or two things and really focus on them. But others are mesmerized by the number of opportunities open to them and get stuck. They wind up asking themselves all sorts of questions, like “what am I really good at?” and “will I ever succeed at anything?”

What you need is a bit of guidance and direction. There isn’t just one path you should take through life. Millions could result in the happiness and bliss that you’re looking for. Here are some things you could do to explore what to do with your life.Start Widening Your Horizons

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It might sound counter intuitive to try to widen your horizons when you’re already overwhelmed by choice, but it sometimes helps. The reason for this is that exploring the world actually helps you find out more about yourself. Ultimately, you’re able to whittle down the options available to you by being more discerning. The advice from experts is to travel as much as possible, read widely and find out the stuff that makes you tick. You’ll soon discover the type of person you are. And by reading about the world, you’ll quickly find problems that you want to solve. There’s no better way to spend your life than to dedicate it to solving a problem that really bothers you.

Focus On Problem-Solving

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Some people put off doing something with their life by learning every possible skill they think that they need. You see these people all the time. They’re the lifelong student: the person who never leaves university but keeps going back, year after year, to do different courses, just in case they need them in the future. The problem with this kind of person is that they’re not learning in order to solve problems: they’re learning to avoid making a decision about what to do.

Problem-solving is a much better way to approach life than academic learning. Academic learning can only ever give you foundational tools. Real-world problem-solving requires an all-encompassing approach. You have to dedicate yourself to solving problems in a way that you simply don’t when you just take a course.

Lots of people start solving problems that they are not experts in. Take Scott Harrison for instance, the man who started Charity: Water. He didn’t know much about providing poor communities in the developing world with clean water, but he knew that that was what he wanted to do. By solving the problem, he learned about his passion more than he ever could reading about it in a book.

Find Out More About Who You Are

Socrates said, “know thyself.” In other words, people should have an understanding of who they are, what motivates them and where their various impulses and behaviors come from. The phrase “self-knowledge,” however, is barely used in the modern world. In truth, people know very little about themselves and why it is that they do the things that they do. Sometimes, there’s no reason, but often it has a lot to do with their history.

There are many ways to find out about yourself, according to readingswithmatt.com. You can look for spiritual answers, psychological answers and even take personality tests. Myers-Briggs has spent decades developing a test that helps people to understand who they are and where they’re likely to fit in in society.

Everything In Life In A Compromise

Another reason why people don’t know what they want to do is because they don’t want to make a compromise according to https://fizzle.co/. They don’t want to give up some options in life to pursue others. For instance, if you want to be a doctor, you have to give up your ambition to be a lawyer and vice versa. Nobody can be both.

Recognizing that you can’t have it all is one of those growth moments in life. Accept compromises and keep moving forward.

Everything's A Gamble

People have an innate mammalian desire to play it safe. They play it safe in all areas of their life, but especially when it comes to work. They stick it out in a job that they hate or a course that they loathe, all because it pays the bills or leads to a grander future. But the truth is that there are no risk-free paths in life. Even the most secure jobs can come tumbling down eventually.

How one woman rediscovered a connection to God she thought she had lost.

I know what you are thinking! Here we go again, another person who is going to tell me that they are spiritual. That would have been me 3 years ago. I was brought up a Catholic but honestly was not a practicing one. I would pray at night. Church was not a place I enjoyed as it was in Arabic and didn’t really understand or enjoy the service. I knew there was a God out there and he was protecting us and that if I lived a good life and treated people well then all would be good.

Then I moved to Canada and my life completely changed. Everything I knew as my life fell apart. My old life, my stability, my friends, my marriage was all taken from me and I had a breakdown. I fell into a depression and did not know how to get out of it.

I still had to get up every morning to look after my kids and continue with my life but inside I was so empty, scared and didn’t know what to do. Even when I was at that place I kept moving forward trying to find resources, making friends and anything that would help me.

One day I decided I am going to talk to God to pray. Maybe he can help me. I have nowhere else to turn to. So I started talking and asking God why is this happening to me. Please please show me what I have to do next. Please guide me. Every time I prayed a resource or a person would turn up in my life to help me. So I kept doing that. I started wanting to learn more and started watching “Super Soul Sunday”, reading “The Secret” following people like Gabrielle Bernstein. Doing course at the Women’s center. I was hungry to know more.

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I started to discover a new way of understanding how the universe works. I started to change my life and my mindset and started to see my life as a journey and continued to see that light at the end of the tunnel. I started to envision what I wanted out of my life. Even in the hard times I kept seeing it and kept telling myself I was going to get there.

Then came time to put my kids in Catechism and I looked around and ended up putting my kids in a Canadian church. Loved the atmosphere and I started going to the mass only because we had to sign in that we attended with our kids. What happened is I discovered a fun way to enjoy church. The priest was so cool and I started to understand what he was saying. The singing was great and I found an amazing community and I could share the fun with my kids.

One day I decided I was going to speak to the priest and ask if we can create a support group for the single moms who are struggling. I sent an email to Father Francis and I remember him answering me and saying come and see me and we will discuss it.

The night before going to the meeting I was watching Super soul Sunday on Facebook and my favorite author Elizabeth Gilbert was explaining Spirituality and she said: “After my divorce I had a hole in my heart and I did everything to fill it but nothing would fill it until I found spirituality.” I sat there for a while and I thought oh my God that is me. I am doing everything yet I still feel so empty.

The next day I am knocking at Father Francis’ door and I am thinking I am not here to help others. I need to help myself. I need to feel that connection. While I was there Father Francis listened to me and said: “Monica this may be your calling but for now it is about healing you.” He sat with me and listened to what I had learnt and said if you want you can come and see me and I can guide you. That was the best thing to happen to me.

He said something to me that day that changed my life. He said:

“Monica those voices you hear that tell you that you are not good enough, they are not God.

God is the one inside you who is your biggest cheerleader and he is the one who is there for you always. He created you exactly the way you are so that you can do what you are meant to do in this lifetime.”

I came out of there and that sentence changed my life. I understood that I didn’t need anybody to make me happy. I was complete. I have a cheerleader inside me that is constantly cheering me on and I have a best friend who I can talk to all the time. I just needed to be still in order to hear him.

Sospirituality is not religion. I just happen to be a Christian but I am spiritual because I have a connection with God. Religion is one of the rituals that people use to get to God.

HOW TO START

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Spend time alone. Stillness is when we connect the best. I light candles and just talk as if I am talking to a friend. God or the universe is our best friend.

Ask for guidance – Sometimes it is not going to come in the way we want it. Ask what is next? Send me a sign?

Connect with nature and deeply with others

There are no coincidences in life – Every body comes into our lives at the right time to give us the message they were meant to and they leave when their job is done. Understand that and you will understand why relationships end and it will make it easier to move on.

There is a bigger plan for our lives. We need to let the plan unfold and stop resisting it. The more you go with the flow the better your life gets.

Bad things happen for us to push us to the next level. Look at the problem and ask what am I supposed to learn from this?

Understand that we are all souls who are looking for their path in life and don’t judge anybody.

Understand that the most important thing is to connect within with God/the universe and love and take care of ourselves so that we can then take care of others.

Find a mentor, read books, social media. These are all great ways to grow in your understanding. You also have to stay open to new ideas and experiences.As Father Francis explained it with a light bulb. You plug it into the electricity for power (God) and then you switch on the plug (connection within) and then you give light to others.

Most important – Enjoy the journey and see the good in your life.

So fast forward 3 years and I am a Spirituality coach. Me! Yes me! What I do is guide you to connect to that source. I help you understand why the doors in your life that have closed have closed and don’t serve you anymore. When you get that connection you feel whole and you make decisions from your soul level.

Author

Monica Karam is a Spiritual Coach. She offers a 30 minute "Discovery Session" for free. Sessions start at $90 per hour and packages are available. Spiritual Coaching is offered in person, telephone or by Skype. She can be reached at monicakaram.com

How Soapmaking is helping one woman with PTSD to move forward.

There were many things in my life that were not planned nor desired. Developing PTSD certainly was not one of them. Nor was the assault that lead to it.

For me, it was like waking up in a foreign country. An outsider, within my own life.

Even the simplest of tasks required a revision of each step in order to be able to accomplish it. At times, I did not feel much. At other times, I felt too much. Caught between two elusive worlds, I clung to anything that would help me to stay present.

The laughter of my children was the first thing to seep in. Sleep was my enemy. But being awake was not my ally.Every cell in my body felt like it was irritated and angry. Utilizing every ounce of my energy. There were no reserves to access. No clear healing path to follow. And then a thought occurred to me.

I had survived the worst. It was time to just be.

Be who I need to be at the moment in order to move forward. Letting go is far less painful but rather a scary thing to do. Allowing myself to feel, transformed me into something unexpected. Showing me that there isno shamein taking a step back in order to reconnect with our innate self.

Over time, we seem to lose this connection and define ourselves through our career, family status, age or religion. But these are not who we are as spiritual beings. But merely the costumes we wear as we progress through the various stages of life.

I assure you that as a nurse, care giver and mother of three. I had lost that connection long ago. Sacrificing, giving, guiding, teaching and loving. All wonderful, in their own ways. But all draining of fuel that if not re-filled, may lead us to feel empty and resentful.

The world will take as much as you are willing to give. Giving is needed. However, giving without accepting is maladaptive, counterproductive and draining. I found myself, completely depleted. I needed to be refueled.

ENTER SOAP MAKING

Photos courtesy of J. St-Onge

Through old-fashioned hand crafted soap making, each of my senses began to awaken one at a time.Creativity started to bubble up from deep within my soul. I let it.Slowly, inspiration took over. It was like welcoming home an old friend. One that had been lost, yet returned like not a day had gone by without.

Creativity was the friend that showed up and carried me when I could no longer carry myself.

On the days when I am feeling overwhelmed, I take out my supplies. First choosing my scents, then my oils. My tolerance for being in the here and now, grew from there.

It seems odd to say that soap saved me. But it truly has.

Along with the help of a qualified therapists and the support of family and friends! It would have been way too easy to numb my pain with drugs or alcohol. I can understand why one would want to.

Trusting that we somehow have the internal resources to deal with the unimaginable is perhaps the most difficult part of the healing process.

Creativity Is Your Friend

Creativity is an old friend. This old friend and I, have a long healing journey ahead.But once past it, I will surely keep it around.I could never undo the amount of internal growth that it has helped me to achieve.

I do not see myself as broken. But rather, broken open.

It is this unfortunate event that jolted me out of my robotic way of living.I was so focused on what needed to be accomplished in my day, that I was no longer just being. On those challenging days, finding even the smallest of joys may help ground us.

It can be as simple as enjoying our favorite tea.Or applying a scented hand cream. A few minutes of taking in the life around us can make the world of difference.

I am excited about today.I am excited about the future.But most of all, I am excited about the deepened person I have become. There is not one thing or a person that can define us.We are the only ones with the power to do so. We must remember to just be!

Photos courtesy of J. St-Onge

Soon, I will be revealing the final product of my inspirations. Feel free to reach out and share what is keeping you grounded. Let’s continue to inspire and uplift one another!

Author

Josee St-Onge is the owner of Just Bee a handmade soap company located in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. She can be reached viaFACEBOOK

Today we are going to prepare a delicious dip of coriander, in Mexican food we used it a lot, we can find it in many dishes such as sauces, meat, fish, chicken…. and of course, on dips and… Do you know how do we say dip in Mexico?

We just put all the ingredients in the blender we mix and…. IT’S READY! Then you put a little bit of oil on the walls of the mold (you can use the ones for cakes) and then you put everything you mix, keep it on the fridge for 3 -4 hours (just until is hard) when its ready take it out put it on a plate with some crackers and ENJOY.

… Do you know how do we say dip in Mexico?... Botana

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Additional Info

Coriander or cilantro is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, manganese, iron and magnesium as well. Coriander leaves are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and protein.

Author

Alejandra Cabrera is a Mexican mom who lives in Canada. She has both Spanish and English Youtube channels where she shares her delicious recipes, fun ideas and other family friendly videos.

One of the most spiritually healing things you can do for your body is to ensure you are aware of the impact toxins have on your health. If your body is struggling to deal with detoxing itself and you are allowing it to carry on without any real focus, then you might find your performance, sleep and feeling of wellbeing are distracted. For those of us who practice meditation we tend to be very aware when our bodies are struggling. Staying in tune with each and every element of your body, understanding the spiritual elements of our health and supporting the natural flow of energy around your body is incredibly important for your focus and outlook. We understand the importance of staying hydrated. Water will help keep energy flowing through our body and will promote the natural regeneration of cells. Vital for your mental health. However there are other ways we can help our bodies through hydration. Let us introduce, the power powders.You may have already heard of Matcha green tea. This is a powdered green tea which contains far more antioxidants than the leaf form. There has been a rise in its popularity over the last few years as it is so versatile as a product. If you don’t enjoy the taste you can use it in juices or even baking. There are some incredible, healthy living, matcha recipes available. Matcha has been used for hundreds of years, by Japanese Zen Buddhist monks as a means to relax and meditate whilst staying alert. This is due to the amino acid L-Theanine contained in the leaves used to make Matcha.There is, however, a new ‘old’ kid on the block. Ashitaba benefits your body in much the same way as Matcha, however it is a far more potent version so gives you greater effects. Antioxidant properties in Ashitaba are 20-30% greater than matcha. Helping protect you from free radicals, improving your circulation and boosting your immune system. They reduce inflammation and promote a longer life. Again, whilst the taste is stronger than green tea and has a sort of green grass / celery style flavour, it can be hidden in apple juice or used in baking and it even makes a fantastic face mask if mixed with natural yoghurt.Finally, you may not have heard of Spirulina but this dark green powdered algae is definitely a power powder you need in your life. Spirulina is a sea algae which is a natural ingredient packed with more nutrients than you could imagine. You do need to be a little aware of chemical contamination. As you are aware eating some fish can impact negatively on your health because of sea pollution. Unfortunately a lot of sea vegetables and natural sources of spirulina are also contaminated. Bromine has been found in lots of sea vegetables, instead of iodine. In fact since the Fukushima nuclear incident there has been a strong recommendation to avoid any products coming from japan and nearby waters. You can bless, channel Reiki healing energy or pray over your food, drink or supplement before consuming it to help reduce any contaminants. Just be aware of where your powder comes from.

Our time on this earth is very brief, so it’s imperative that we make every moment count. While we are all guilty of focusing on unimportant ambitions from time to time, it’s important to remember that the most important thing is to be happy. Unfortunately, we can all fall into the cycle of letting negative influences harm our chances of long-term joy and progress. Of course, we can take positive steps by incorporating healthy living habits. However, removing the bad elements in our lives can often have an even greater impact still. Making those difficult changes in your life can be emotionally challenging. But if it’s going to boost your long-term happiness, those short-term sacrifices are well worth making.

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Changing Your Career Path

In today’s climate, simply having a job of any ilk is something to take pride in. Quitting your job without having something else in place isn’t advised unless you are truly unhappy in your current position. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look for something better.

We can easily fall into the trap of settling for an average job. You owe it to yourself to reach your full potential. After all, it’s not only the financial rewards that need to be considered. Working in a job that offers greater emotional satisfaction can have a telling impact on your overall happiness in life also.

Traditional employment isn’t for everyone, though. Perhaps you could look at going freelance or starting a business of your own. Either way, you probably dedicate 40+ hours of your week to work. That’s far too long to be left feeling unhappy.

Ending A Relationship When it’s right, love is the greatest feeling in the world. Sadly, though, many people stay in their relationships due to fear of being alone. It’s important to realize that all relationships experience their ups and downs. Still, staying in the wrong one could be stopping you from living life to the fullest.

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It’s better to enjoy a happy single life rather than in a torturous relationship. Whether you catch a cheating spouse or simply realize that you’re heading in different directions doesn’t matter. If there is a genuine reason to quit the relationship, then you should look to do so in the most amicable way ever.

There’s no point in sugarcoating the fact that it will be a sad time in your life. In the long haul, though, it could be the key to opening up far greater opportunities.

Cutting A Friendship Loose

Spouses aren’t the only key relationship in our lives. While you may have a great affection for friends, or relatives, there are times where their presence is harming your overall happiness. If they are causing too much strain and stress, you must learn when to let go. Whether they are leading you to drink, or simply encouraging you to make bad decisions doesn’t matter. Or perhaps your continued one-way support towards them is stopping you from focusing on your life goals. Either way, a friendship should be mutually beneficial. If it isn’t, it may be time to cut the ropes. You may still wish to maintain a small amount of contact. Nonetheless, allowing yourself to focus on personal goals and other aspects of your life could be the greatest thing you’ll ever do.

There are all kinds of ways of giving back to the community. Donating money directly to a local charity is one way to get involved, but for those wanting a more hands on and insightful experience there are many other methods. Here are just a few.Volunteer your timeCharity events such as fetes and raffles are always looking for volunteer staff. Whether you’re helping to organize proceedings or simply selling tickets beforehand, your help will be appreciated. There are all kinds of other voluntary positions that you can try your hand at from helping out at your local hospital, helping to run a charity shop or helping to promote a local charity. If you’re a musician or a photographer, local charities will always be interested in your services – it could also be a great opportunity to expose your talent. You can use sites such ashttp://www.idealist.org/ to find voluntary positions near to you.

Donate an itemCharity shops are always looking for your donated goods. Not only is this is a simple way of giving back, it can also help you keep on top of clutter. There are other places where you can donate items such as charity auctions and charity raffles. Sites such ashttps://www.charitybuzz.com/ have been specifically set up for this occasion. Even if you don’t have anything to sell, why not bid for something? You’ll be donating money and getting a gift in return.Join a local groupThere are all kinds of local groups dedicated to charity work. Many religious groups exist for this purpose, information of which you can find here: http://www.cenaclesisters.org/Prayer-Enrollment/. Your local place of worship may be able to provide more information on such groups local to your area.There are also many non-religious groups out there. If you’re a business owner or freelancer, joining your local Rotary Club could be a great way of getting involved. On top of this there are specific groups set up for helping the homeless, the sick, drug rehabilitation, animal sheltering, environmental preservation and disabilities.Get sponsoredGet other people to sponsor you and then donating these proceeds to charity is one of the most popular forms of getting involved. This can be a great way of not only helping a local charity, but also taking on a personal challenge for yourself. Whether you’re completing an endurance challenge or conquering a fear, you can help to spur yourself on by having the added incentive of raising money for charity behind you.Start your own charityIf there are no charities out there that appeal to your needs, there’s nothing to stop you from starting your own. You’ll need to register your charity and start a separate charity account for donating proceeds. If you own a business, you may be able to set up a micro lending scheme in which some of your profits go directly into a charity account. How you raise money and operate your charity is completely up to you.